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Johannesburg - Afro-soul diva Simphiwe Dana has dropped a bombshell, revealing to City Press that she is having an affair with a prominent man.
The musician, who has been the subject of ongoing rumours of an alleged sexual relationship with Johannesburg businesswoman Lebo Keswa, on Friday dismissed rumours that she was a lesbian.
“Lebo is my friend and patron. She is not my lover. I’m involved with a man . . . and yes, he is married,” said the mother of two.
Dana and Keswa have been fielding questions about their relationship for a few weeks now. On Friday an emotional Keswa told City Press the rumours had left her “deflated”.
“I don’t know what to say [any more]. Simphiwe and I have never had an affair. She is a close and personal friend,” said Keswa.
“Lebo is my patron,” Dana told City Press in an interview.
“When I moved back to Joburg from Cape Town, there was a problem with the house I wanted to buy. Lebo offered me and my children shelter.
“We first moved into a guest house in Craighall that she was buying, and later we went to live in her house in Sandhurst. We were not living together, per se, because she was always in and out.
"After about a month, I felt like I was not in control of my life any more so we moved out.
Difficult
“These rumours regarding our so-called affair have damaged our friendship somewhat because such things are stressful and bring tension.
"I don’t ever want to bring unwanted attention or harm to those I care about, so this episode has been difficult for all of us.”
The two were also involved in the ill-fated Kulture Noir restaurant, named after Dana’s hit album.
A few weeks ago, the restaurant was reported to have been burgled before its official opening, which has not yet happened.
Dana said the Kulture Noir restaurant was a venture between Keswa, herself and a third partner.
“Lebo was financing it and I decorated it in my own style to reflect me. I was heavily involved in it – from meeting with relevant stakeholders and decorating, to planning menus.
"I was going to cook there some days and perform on others. I put a lot of effort and love into that place.
“Unfortunately, there was toxicity in the relationship between myself and the third partner. And while we tried to salvage the relationship, it just didn’t work out.
"Lebo has tried to keep me in the partnership, but I just don’t think it’s meant to be for now,” said Dana.
Married father
She became teary-eyed as the conversation turned to the man she says is her lover: a married father, whom she refused to name.
“I fell in love. I didn’t plan it and neither did he, but it happened. Yes, I feel guilty for hurting people, but my problem is being criminalised for falling in love.
"How can being in love be wrong? He is not divorced, but he and his wife don’t even live in the same province. I don’t want to be the one to break up his family. If he wants to leave her, he can do it on his own.
“I don’t want to be the one to break up his family. My father was a serial philanderer and I would never want to put any woman through that kind of pain.”
Dana said while she and her lover enjoyed long conversations on various topics, the subject of their relationship becoming public never came up.
“We just didn’t think about this – only that life was a bed of roses. We never discussed a strategy of how we would handle this if it ever came out.”
Dana said she was concerned about a possible backlash from her legion of fans, but said she was willing to “step back” from the relationship in order to let things settle down.
“I would just like people to understand where I’m coming from regarding my falling in love, and also dismiss the other allegations for the nonsense that they are.”
The musician, who has been the subject of ongoing rumours of an alleged sexual relationship with Johannesburg businesswoman Lebo Keswa, on Friday dismissed rumours that she was a lesbian.
“Lebo is my friend and patron. She is not my lover. I’m involved with a man . . . and yes, he is married,” said the mother of two.
Dana and Keswa have been fielding questions about their relationship for a few weeks now. On Friday an emotional Keswa told City Press the rumours had left her “deflated”.
“I don’t know what to say [any more]. Simphiwe and I have never had an affair. She is a close and personal friend,” said Keswa.
“Lebo is my patron,” Dana told City Press in an interview.
“When I moved back to Joburg from Cape Town, there was a problem with the house I wanted to buy. Lebo offered me and my children shelter.
“We first moved into a guest house in Craighall that she was buying, and later we went to live in her house in Sandhurst. We were not living together, per se, because she was always in and out.
"After about a month, I felt like I was not in control of my life any more so we moved out.
Difficult
“These rumours regarding our so-called affair have damaged our friendship somewhat because such things are stressful and bring tension.
"I don’t ever want to bring unwanted attention or harm to those I care about, so this episode has been difficult for all of us.”
The two were also involved in the ill-fated Kulture Noir restaurant, named after Dana’s hit album.
A few weeks ago, the restaurant was reported to have been burgled before its official opening, which has not yet happened.
Dana said the Kulture Noir restaurant was a venture between Keswa, herself and a third partner.
“Lebo was financing it and I decorated it in my own style to reflect me. I was heavily involved in it – from meeting with relevant stakeholders and decorating, to planning menus.
"I was going to cook there some days and perform on others. I put a lot of effort and love into that place.
“Unfortunately, there was toxicity in the relationship between myself and the third partner. And while we tried to salvage the relationship, it just didn’t work out.
"Lebo has tried to keep me in the partnership, but I just don’t think it’s meant to be for now,” said Dana.
Married father
She became teary-eyed as the conversation turned to the man she says is her lover: a married father, whom she refused to name.
“I fell in love. I didn’t plan it and neither did he, but it happened. Yes, I feel guilty for hurting people, but my problem is being criminalised for falling in love.
"How can being in love be wrong? He is not divorced, but he and his wife don’t even live in the same province. I don’t want to be the one to break up his family. If he wants to leave her, he can do it on his own.
“I don’t want to be the one to break up his family. My father was a serial philanderer and I would never want to put any woman through that kind of pain.”
Dana said while she and her lover enjoyed long conversations on various topics, the subject of their relationship becoming public never came up.
“We just didn’t think about this – only that life was a bed of roses. We never discussed a strategy of how we would handle this if it ever came out.”
Dana said she was concerned about a possible backlash from her legion of fans, but said she was willing to “step back” from the relationship in order to let things settle down.
“I would just like people to understand where I’m coming from regarding my falling in love, and also dismiss the other allegations for the nonsense that they are.”
